I think I’ve figured out the reason why he mentions it so often… have you seen the comments that his comics get on Cracked? Wow, just wow… I don’t know how he can stand it. Most of those people deserve to be punched; they often miss the point entirely, then give him their own awful ideas, then loudly whine about how they didn’t like something that they got for free.

oh DUDE. i never realised he was getting that kind of feedback elsewhere. i mean, it gets a little brown-nosey over here in places, but those guys are just pure poison.

is that place even paying you, rowntree? because if they’re not, you should leave, man. the fans will follow, and you won’t have to deal with a dozen “you suck” messages every time you make something awesome.

I’ve been reading your work for a while, but this is the first time i’m leaving a comment, because this just plain rocks rainbow socks! That, and I introduced a bunch of people to Subnormality today, and it was the perfect one for them to get a first taste of.

Btw, did I detect a dig at Mr. Oatmeal in this one? Can’t remember for the life of me if that’s what he looks like.

I can’t tell you how much I appreciate these comics! I check the site daily, and it is always a good day when a new one appears. I especially agree with the listening part. People need to relearn the art of undivided attention. It shouldn’t be as they say in Fight Club that people only really listen to you when you’re dying. Again thank you!

I gotta say it’s not the first time I’ve gone “meh” at one of Rowntree’s comics, but hell, he doesn’t have to please everyone all the time.

I would point out another issue – the fact that the first one, with the Manic Pixie Girl, as TVtropes (<3 that site) would call her, is basically just saying "someone sitting on a huge pile of cash is more appealing than someone who's invested their money in a nice car" – pretty materialistic whichever way you spin it.

Anyway, I'm just picking holes here, this is still my favourite comic ever (on the internet or otherwise)

Well, I see the whole pile of money as representing one of two things, maybe even both. Either it’s a persons potential to do great things (stack of possibilities), or it’s simply saying that it’s sexy not to piss all your money away on stupid shit you don’t need. Maybe slightly materialistic, but I get it.

1) I genuinely feel bad for people whose Asperger’s syndrome or contrarian personalities or whatever prevent them from appreciating the humor and visual wit of the parallels in the comic.

2) Oh okay, maybe nitpicking is sexy as hell, and porn is sexier than a mental connection and luxury sedans really are pretty bitchin’ and road head is waaay more of a turn on than being listened to. However, I do have to point out that appealing to post-modern relativism here is, again, totally missing the point.

It’s all relative… that’s the point. This whole comic could have been a bunch of cliches that everyone hates so we could all go “Yea man that’s right! Photoshopped models are fugly!” without further consideration… but he chose to throw a few gray areas in there (see: http://www.viruscomix.com/page500.html) to make it interesting.

Also, you don’t have to agree: everything is preceded with a “maybe”. Honestly, just knowing about some obscure issue is enough to be sexy without them agreeing. Makes it more sexy to me to have contrasting opinions on something that you didn’t think anyone else knew or cared about so you can discuss it in depth.

At any rate, not my favorite but still pretty neat. I want a tattoo of that “Hot For Electoral Reform” girl. Only thing I would add to this comic before making it a poster is more maybes! Update it with more panels. ^_^

I must respectfully disagree: simly posessing an amount of money is not /necessarily/ materialistic. it is the attachment to gaining more money in comparison to others, for the purpose of aquiring status symbols to assert one’s superiority over them which is materialistic. unfortunately often possessing large amounts of money leads to such an attitude, but one can imagine a generous but careful rich person. indeed the seem rare if not nonexistent, but you would indeed expect not to hear of them as much as the other kind as they are not trying to use their money for social status.

First time poster, long time fan of the site, hope I get your attention though because I feel like this one deserves to be another epic poster. I’d definitely buy it and I hope others agree so this can happen!

Isn’t “sexy” an extrapolation of lust? I mean… you can respect someone’s opinions or mindset or talents and all but ultimately that comes from a cerebral connection you make with that person. “Sexy” can also be a gut reaction to someone you see on the street- it doesn’t need words or abstract reasoning.
I’m not sure what all “sexy” means in the context of the comic, though.

that is what seems to me to be (one of) the central point(s) of this comic: for many (obviously not all, and often, not consciously) “sexy” has taken the place of what used to be called cool, and this has led to somewhat of an erosion of the value of cool things. So since now the word sexy is often used meaning “cool” because it is seen (again often unconsciously) as THE prime value in the western mindset, one way to gain back those values is by adjusting what we see as sexy.

Boy, it’s like we had a little conversation about Mexican paintress Frida Kahlo and the concept of feminine beauty right here in the comments of W.R.’s webcomic. As if you engaged me and asked me to reconsider my trollish position. I still think she’s gross, but I’ve had to stop and think about why (it’s the eyebrow). Where else are intelligent and sophisticated people conversing on this subject? NPR? The Gridiron Club? Coffeehouses in Paris? We’ve just had a little moment here together. Thank you, Lily and DoubleW, for challenging me. It gave me room to grow. Also, I’m replying to myself!

From what i’ve heard she DID think of herself as gross, hence her exaggerating the eyebrows in her paintings (please correct me if i’m wrong though. i don’t know too much about her to be honest). She was so not gross though.

I guess I felt attacked–which might not have been merited; DoubleW was certainly finding proper middle ground, and my emotional reaction to your reply, lily, is almost certainly different than the spirit in which you wrote it. My Internet defense mechanism to that sensation is to talk around the conversation, to circumlocute, and thereby remove myself from what could have been either a very positive or perhaps a very negative conversation. I should probably put forward that Kahlo’s outward appearance in no way diminishes the intense bravery and sensuality of her gross artwork. Also, I might add that I’m naturally melodramatic, and prone to writing very short or very long comments. [smile emoticon]

I find passion sexy. By which I mean, if someone talks about a subject passionately and engagingly, then I’ll love them for it. It doesn’t matter if they are talking about 16th Century handkerchiefs, 21st Century Hungarian film, or the use of imaginary numbers in modern physics and mathematics.

I suggest you qualify that “doesn’t matter”, good man. Unless you also think someone talking passionately about their firearms collection or the 9-11 conspiracy or Jersey Shore is sexy too, in which case can I get your number? ¬____¬

Okay, maybe not any topic. Although I still hold that a discussion of firearms could be sexy if taken from the right angle. I admit, that it does make me skeevy on one level (being instruments of death and all) but seeing as I happen to think swords are quite cool* , I realise that it would be hypocritical to assume that an interest in firearms was an extension of a power trip, or an enjoyment of killing.

I suppose I can knock the conspiracy theorists on the head by requiring that the discussion be well informed, as well as passionate. I suppose I should also add a requirement for basic human decency, to get rid of the various bigoted rants, although mostly they’d fall at the ‘informed’ hurdle as well.

*I don’t actually own any… the whole instruments of death thing… but I love them as museum pieces.

Heh… Er, just FYI, I’m not one for Conspiracies or (worse) Jersey Shore. I am interested in firearms, but I don’t think it’s a power/killing thing; killing people is, I think, bad. And I don’t actually own any, either. I just think they’re fascinating.

(But yeah, I can understand the passion thing; just, try to qualify your statements in future)

You do know that people who are in the Jersey Shore are people too, right? They may act ridiculously but that’s due to a combination of factors including upbringing, psychology, and the external pressures induced by watching and starring on reality television.

Claiming a desire to kill these people in cold blood is rather disturbing. Maybe you should see a psychiatrist before your psychopathic urges get the better of you.

Everything WR does is thought-provoking and growth-producing….though sometimes the seeds take a little time to sink in and grow. He’s right up there, wide open, taking chances, like a jazz musician pushing the edge. Do you know how hard that is, how much work is required–to come up with original *non-derivative* material time after time?

Hey, donate a few bucks to the cause, yeah? If you can. Help should go both ways.

Ha, this is great. I wish more people would realise that ‘effort expended and money spent on tarting-up self/obliterating idiosyncracies’ does not always correspond to ‘increase in sexiness’ – quite the opposite, much of the time!

I love your comics, but…..I think you’re heading a little to close to “gotta have a message” territory. I miss the old “draw….awww heck” comics you used to have in between the deep ones. The art is awesome tho

P.S. Canada is currently competing at the cricket world cup being held in India/Sri Lanka/Bangladesh. Bet most Canadians didn’t know you guys had a cricket team😀

maybe i am nicer and happier for see this then i usually am. i would like to see this one day written all over everybodys face. its good to see someone is out there trying to show that everyone can be sexy no matter what everyone else tells you. sexy is in the eye of the beholder. i do have to admit i like a toned mind over a toned body any day.

although I must say: it is nice when the mind is toned such that one understands the value and mental reward in taking good care of the body. Mind alone is surely better than body alone, but eating well, excercise and a good diet do seem to be part of a well-rounded mind. the body and mind are perhaps not as seperate as many would like to think.

I am pretty hesitant to post this, as it seems to go against what others thought the message was, but…why can sexy not mean just sexy? A turn on? Or however…I have always found these sorts of things Literally sexy…I’ve been made fun of for…physical reactions to Advanced Mathematics lectures, or spirited political debate, even if it is a subject that is not inherently interesting, peoples passionate, well informed, well Spoken rants are…sexy.

Just one chicks opinion, hey? =)Have a great day, guys❤

*also…I have consumed these comics over the past few days, I don't remember how I found them, I haven't even really eaten…it's amazing, beautiful, just…I'm in awe. I've cried, I've laughed out loud, I've gotten lost in the artwork, I've shared with friends, I've sat quietly after reading, then reread…Just thank you. Thank you for having the guts to do it, and share it, and (apparently) withstand some horrifically trollish comments…I take inspiration from it. I can't really get into Why this means so very much to me, but…Just thank you. (I'm getting all misty, "lol")

Just a quick note to say thanks for the link (in your interview) to Oyvind Thorsby’s work — which is sheer genius. I hadn’t come across him before, so very glad for the pointer to what has swiftly become a favourite.

“Maybe willingness to get your hands dirty is way sexier than it’s given credit for.”

Thank you so much for writing this. I love your comics man. It’s really nice to have a weekly reminder that I’m not insane, and that there are others around that think like me. Your comics have had a very positive impact on my life, and I can’t imagine I’m the only one, so on behalf of all of us out there…

it can be. when combined with quiet confidence. not the top-dog macho kind, but the secure in themselves kind. modest confidence, the kind which comes not from trying to put yourself first, but from havinbg nothing to be ashamed of because you do what you /know/ to be the good thing. (oh dear I am really gonna upset some people by suggesting one can “know” what is good. oh well, c’est la vie.)

Nuuuuu! Frida Kahlo is just creepy. Her face staring at me through all those pictures, sometimes from the body of some horrible beast. Whether or not self-expression or the female uni-brow are hot or not should not tie into a woman who was too self-obsessed to draw anything other than her own face.

maybe people who understand “sexy” as not just being limited to the body (which will soon fade in anyone…) are more sexy than people with a more… how shall we say… limited understanding of things. this is why those sadly limited people will never be satisfied.

Ah but you are mistaken. What you understand, how intelligent, how creative, etc. you are determines your worldview in general, and is the underlying basis for the feelings you have in reaction to something. It certainly isn’t something you control at the time of the feeling, by then it is much too late. But you certainly can do things which shift your underlying beliefs/understanding, and therefore shift the types of reactions you feel to things.

You must be told this quite often, but one more won’t hurt: You are really talented, and I think your work carries a very powerful message that needs to be heard. Your art is great too, it comes across as well done, yet accesible and relatable. Kudos to what you are doing, I really admire you. :] Have a great life.

not directly related to this, your work on cracked was recommended on kotaku, and i think i had this feeling before too, which led me to ask this: winston, do you like (to quote at least) nine inch nails?
although “what have i become, my sweetest friend” was covered by multiple artists afaik. but there was a “downward spiral” too

This one is wonderful overall, per usual, but one panel brought me up short. The “electoral reform” pole dancer looks *exactly* like the librarian/writer/freelance editor I love. Right down to the rectangular glasses. I sent her a link and she said “I’ll be damned.” Which brings me to the panel about what you have being sexier than what you are supposed to want.

Hey, i like you too. Oh my god, we should team up and go on “Dragon’s Den!!” “Yes, the pretentiousness of my business partner is the solution to the world’s energy crisis, and thus we are looking for fifty-two billion dollars for one ten-trillionth equity in our business.” Plus then i’d have a chance to kick jim treliving in the nuts. LET’S DO THIS!!

Thank you for this comic. It’s possibly now my favourite comic strip ever.
I totally agree on all of these points. Especially the facial hair one. Any conventionally unattractive person is a million times more attractive than anyone inconsiderate and insecure enough to make fun of them.

Thank you SO much for your “Sexier Th>n” comic. I’ve been reading your site for ages but that one really struck a chord with me as I have dealt with really bad self-esteem for as long as I can remember.

Never has a comic put tears in my eyes (in an emotional way, lol)! Thanks again.

Maybe you’re confusing sexiness with value as a person. Not all measures of someone’s worth factor into physical attraction. Which, let’s be honest, is all “sexiness” as a concept really refers to. In fact, I’d say it’s that very overemphasis on physical attraction in our culture that leads well-meaning people to say something like “listening is sexier than anything else you can do in public” or “hot for electoral reform.” Because only by claiming it adds to sex appeal can you get most people consider it something they should bother with.

Maybe you’re confusing physical attraction with sexiness. There may be a component of that but there is far more to sexiness than physicallity, i.e. I think Leonard Cohen is intensely sexy yet I am not at all physically attracted to him.

You’re wrong about the women with facial hair thing (term “opinion” NOT warranted here). If your art is shit to begin with AND you’ve got a ‘satchel that rivals Reynolds, you probably deserve to become a relentless amputee and be made fun of- for eternity

Thanks for your graphic art/commentary. I’m an old guy who started out loving the Disney stable of comics, grew into Combat “comics”, Sargent Rock, etc. went to weed in the 60s and enjoyed Zap, Freak Bros and so on. I haven’t seen any I liked in years until I dropped in on your site.

As a guy who often wears scrubs at work, I’d like to suggest that I’m getting my hands dirty, too. Unless blood, feces, urine, and dripping sweat under my surgical gown are that much less sexy than dirt and sawdust in your calculations, I think a true white collar would have been a better character to be looking askance at the carpenter on the bus. Your health care workers are underappreciated.